KAUTO STAR will make  his fourth consecutive  appearance in the Betfair  Chase at Haydock, but with  conditions likely to be  testing connections of  Notre Pere are happy to  take on the dual  Cheltenham Gold Cup hero.

Paul Nicholls confirmed  his nine-year-old on course  to run in the Grade One  chase on the opening day of  the Northwest Masters  weekend.

There were 13 entries for  the three-mile contest at  yesterday’s five-day  declaration stage with  conditions said to soft at  the Merseyside venue.  More rain is expected  throughout this week.

Clerk of the course  Kirkland Tellwright said:   “We’ve had something like  17 millimetres of rain over  the weekend.

“The forecast is wet.  There’s rain most days,  particularly Thursday and  Saturday.

“I don’t think it will have  any effect in spoiling the  event. We can take what’s  forecast and I would hope  that it will not cause any  defectors.

“You’ve got to assume the  going will be soft at the  weekend.”

Champion trainer is not  overly concerned about  that and Kauto Star will  bid to land the race for a  third time after winning it  in 2006 and 2007. The nine- year-old failed to land the  hat-trick last November  when he unseated Sam  Thomas at the final fence  12 months ago.

Nicholls also had Nozic  entered in the Betfair  Chase, but the champion  trainer said: “Kauto Star is  going to go there, I just  stuck the other horse  (Nozic) in just in case the  race cut up to four or five  runners. I’d say it was more likely  he would run in the Becher  Chase (at Aintree on  Sunday).”

Irish lone entrant Notre  Pere has gone well in soft  conditions in the past and  connections are hopeful he  can bounce back to form on  Merseyside this weekend.

Last season the eight-year-old won both the  Welsh National and  Punchestown Gold Cup, but  on his return to action at  Down Royal earlier this  month he fell in the  JNwine.com Champion  Chase.